Includes bibliographical references (pages 205-245)
Contents:
Introduction -- The ray of hope. Black women and fertility: how is the system failing them? -- A deep dive into miscarriages and why they affect Black women more -- Navigating the healthcare system: the added burden -- Preterm birth story: how the disparity perpetuates -- Multiple gestation: how many Black babies will survive? -- Preeclampsia/hypertensive disorders: too common for Black women -- Stillbirth: the searing pain of loss and why Black women suffer more -- Low birthweight babies: what's in a number? -- Social support for Black pregnant women and the role of the father -- Sickle cell disease and lupus: ignored and undertreated -- Mental health challenges: the silent pandemic -- Covid-19 and the effect on Black pregnant women -- The route of delivery -- The postpartum experience: the care that ends too quickly -- The newborn tax on Black children -- The ray of hope.
Summary:
"A tragedy is unfolding all around us and is receiving well overdue attention. Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy than their white peers. But Dr. Monique Rainford is working to better understand these disparities and do something about them. Pregnant While Black is a hopeful exploration of the issues pregnant Black women face in America. Within these pages, Dr. Rainford draws on over twenty years of experience working in obstetrics and gynecology to offer a primer on Black pregnancies and how to better care for them. She shares the successes and testimonies of Black women who have struggled during pregnancy and childbirth, anchoring the stories of these women with carefully researched facts. Despite medical advances over the last twenty years, for Black women, the overwhelming dangers of carrying and delivering children remain and it only seems to be getting worse. In Pregnant While Black, Rainford begins the work of "repairing the damage of the past" with an examination of the conditions that plague Black pregnancies. This important book carries the hopes and dreams of a generation looking to effect change, here and now."-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.